Gemini’s Gene, Open Source, and AI Crawlers
Q&AI with Jen Taylor
In this edition: a few news updates (there are always more!) across AI products on the market.
This is Q&AI, our blog series aimed at keeping you in the know on updates in the rapidly evolving world of AI. Sometimes, these will be quick updates on new developments in the field. Sometimes, they’ll be tips on tactics, features, or functionality.
If you haven’t met me yet, hi: I’m Jen Taylor, CI’s Director of AI Strategy & Implementation, and your (very human) AI BFF. AI is moving at the speed of light, so I’m here to let you know what matters most now.
Q: WHAT are some of the recent feature or model releases more geared towards advanced AI users, and what are their implications?
A: There have been a couple of big updates in this area in the past couple of weeks:
This is a new multimodal AI model from Google that can create dynamic 3D worlds from text prompts. What makes it especially notable is its persistent memory within those worlds; it can remember what’s been placed, allow you to leave, and still recall everything when you return. This kind of embodied memory could represent a major step forward in how AI learns and retains information over time.
Because of its power and implications, access is being limited, and the model will not be broadly released (at least for now). It may also signal the next wave of how large-scale AI training evolves.
OpenAI gpt-oss
This is OpenAI’s first open-source model since 2019, finally responding to long-standing criticism about the “open” in their name. Open-source means it can run locally (on your own hardware), reducing dependency on third-party servers and improving privacy and security.
It’s not meant for everyday users, but it opens the door for developers to build new, more customizable tools on top of it.
Q: What larger conversations are taking place about protecting content and creators from AI crawlers?
A: On a recent episode of the New York Times’s Hardfork podcast, Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince explained why his company began blocking AI crawlers by default as of July 1. Since Cloudflare supports ~20% of the web, this is a huge move.
The goal: establish a fair market where AI companies must pay for content, ending the era of free scraping. Prince directly called out Google as a major problem, citing its legacy access and evolving behavior (e.g., from driving traffic to now surfacing AI answers directly).
Key takeaway: This is a proactive step toward content scarcity and creator compensation. Prince emphasized that until everyone, including Google, pays, the economics won’t ultimately work.
YOUR FRIEND,
Jen
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